FS Group Architects: Build Trust to Ensure Contracting Success

By: Enzo Mungu

FS Group Architects (FSG) was established in 1999, after licensed architect and accredited LEED professional Sabir Fakhruddin was asked to design a medical office building by a Houston cardiologist. Twenty-four years later, the company has grown its portfolio to include projects in commercial, corporate and institutional spaces, as well as in aviation, education, healthcare, and public works. FSG is licensed in Texas to provide architectural services and employs licensed architects and licensed interior designers under Fakhruddin’s leadership, and provides master planning, professional architectural design, and interior design services.

In the City of Houston, FSG is a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and has been awarded several professional services contracts, including: for Houston Public Works, buildings for the Northeast Water Purification Plant (NEWPP); for the General Services Department, renovations at the Memorial Park Golf Club; and for the Houston Airport System, the Infrastructure Development Office – PMO/IDO Building at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), the Aerospace Institute and the Campus Masterplan for the Houston Spaceport at Ellington Field, as well as new construction and renovations to Terminal B, also at IAH. FSG also worked on designing the iconic wayfinding signage at the William P. Hobby Airport, which helped Hobby achieve its Skytrax 5-Star rating.

MAJOR CITY OF HOUSTON PROJECT: FS Group Architects at the site of the Dewatering Building of the Northeast Water Purification Plant (NEWPP), which will provide the pumping of finished and filter backwash supply water with seven high-service pumping unit turbines. The NEWPP project is the largest progressive design build project in the United States, and FSG is the Architect of Record and in charge of 40 buildings on the campus.

We are one of the largest MBE architects in the city, with a diverse team reflecting the diversity of Houston,” said Fakhruddin. “We have been doing work with the City for over 15 years since FSG designed renovations for Mayor Bill White’s offices.

The key to longevity and repeat business for contractors, whether at the prime or subcontractor level, is continuously being committed to maintaining a high quality of professional service, coupled with excellent relationships, financial, and time management, according to Fakhruddin.

It is extremely important to manage your accounting, your time, and your cash flow to become a solid financial partner as a prime or as a sub,” he said. “These aspects build trust, which is critical to building a continuing relationship from one project to another.

For more information about FS Group Architects, go to www.fsdesignbuild.com.